It Can Be Beautiful
by ProfShaft
Summary: A little story about Raven and Beastboy finally coming to terms. Some RobXStar and CyXSarah (hinted at in the show and shown in the comic accompanyment to the show.) Rated T just in case. They're heroes, not just role models.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the teen titans or any other characters expressed, written, mentioned, and/or implied in this work of fiction.

It Can Be Beautiful

Ch1

The rain came crashing onto the windows, distorting the city lights. The torrential downpour created melting rivets of light that illuminated the common room in a dim pulsing glow. Centered in the room, seated on a circular couch, a steel titan and his surprisingly normal mate watched the city lights glowing.

"It's getting pretty late..." the steel behemoth sighed.

"let me stay here a little longer cyborg. Just another hour."

"The orphans will dismantle me if they don't get their precious Sarah in time for bedtime stories."

"Can it Tin Man," she laughed, "it's about three hours past lights out. You're not getting rid of me that easily!"

Sarah grasped Cyborg's arm. "Besides," her golden locks cascaded around her face, her eyes shining and flickering with the city's artificial starlight, "I need you now."

Cyborg looked down, catching her gaze. The storm outside seemed to die down, the light dimming, time slowing down as they peered deep into each other's eyes.

"Sarah"

"Cy"

Their faces slowly drawn closer to each other. Cyborg could feel her breath on his lips, tickling his nose, sending sparks of emotion through his servos.

Sarah closed her eyes, their lips almost touching. Cyborg could feel her presence, her essence, and he leaned in to make physical his desire.

" HEY! GET BACK HERE YOU IDIOT!"

Raven's voice echoed through the tower. Almost immediately Cyborg and Sarah Flew to opposite ends of the couch, faces red with embarrassment and surprise. A high pitched yelp followed the sounds of smashing as Raven chased her prey into the common room and under the couch. Raven levitated in the center of the room. Tendrils of dark energy pulsed and seethed with every sharp intake of the empath's harrowed breath.

"Come out here and face your demise, cretin." Raven's words dripped with bloodlust.

Cyborg looked over at his date, huddled on the opposite end of the couch, frightened beyond belief, and sighed.

"Way to kill a moment, Rae." He muttered under his breath.

Beneath the couch a green puppy shook and shuddered just out of the angry titan's reach.

"And I bet you're not innocent either, huh."

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

*Disclaimer: I don't own the titans. Not even remotely*

Ch 2

Just as Cyborg turned to address the floating body of rage, the small animal emerged from beneath the couch. In an instant, fur transformed to skin, limbs lengthened, and the green face stretched and flattened. Standing before the three was a short teen with green hair, green eyes, and shining green eyes.

Raven roared with anger. "BeastBoy you intolerable little twerp I swear I-"

"HOLD IT"

Cyborg jumped in between the two titans, his tall stature forming a steel wall between them.

"BB, explain."

Beast Boy focused on the floor as his ears and posture drooped.

"Well, here's how it all went down...

…...

"It all happened around dinnertime. While you were havin' a Cyborg-smooch-fest with Sarah, and Robin and Star were on a "reconnaissance" dinner date mission, I was left here at the tower with nothing left to do. Now, normally I would stick to Mega Monkeys 4 and tofu, but I've beaten it SO MANY TIMES. So... I kinda went looking for something else to do. Long story short, I messed up. Raven got mad. Here we are."

As his narrative drew to a close, the green titan began to circle around in an attempt to flee.

"FREEZE BEAST BOY"

Raven's eyes grew a deeper shade of crimson. Cyborg could feel the tension build up in between the two, or maybe that was her powers going haywire. Either way, he couldn't see this ending smoothly.

"Now hold up BB, I think you left out all the juicy bits. What did you do to get the little lady so twisted, man?"

Raven growled, not an animal growl, but the low guttural growl of something much more insidious.

"Well," Beast Boy continued, once again firmly rooted to the floor by both Raven and Cyborg's stares. "there is a little more that happened."

Sarah shot a curious glance over the couch.

"Now Raven had shut herself in her room to meditate. Me, being the generous and righteous dude I am, I decided to give Rae a chance to come out of her shell. hehe"

Raven's fists clenched into tight balls.

"It really was clever. I mean, I can't believe I thought of this on such short notice. All I needed was a few rolls of toilet paper and some black paint. One mummy roll later and a big painted M; call me Malchior the Paper wizard... well Dragon-Wizard Dude, but that's totally old news... hehehe. I went up to Raven's room in my new costume, knocked on the door, and was ready to give her a shock. After knocking for about twenty minutes she opened the door and her face was priceless- I mean- what I did was insensitive and crude. I absolutely regret how funny it was, well, should have been. The rampage kinda ruined it."

Both Best Boy's amusement at her emotional turmoil and disregard for any sincerity in his apology pushed Raven over the edge.

"Beast Boy. I can't believe I have to say this... No, I can. You are a crass, insensitive, idiotic, moronic, disgusting, horrible freak show of a human being. It's when you act like this we all are reminded how much of a childish brat you really are."

Raven calm, frigid words paralyzed Beast Boy. She was beyond screaming. She had become so furious that her emotional control was more frightening than the emotions she withheld.

"Furthermore, before you take the time to "help" me, why don't you look in the mirror first. I may be a sullen creep, but that doesn't mean I have to stoop so low as to get pitied by a kid who's galpal worked for Slade. Slade, the madman murderer that was our sworn enemy. You obviously have no more tact at romance than I do. So, this gloomy freak is going back to her room, and she better not see Malchior or BEAST BOY ever again."

Raven stormed out of the common room, leaving a shocked Cyborg and Beast Boy in her wake. The first person to say anything was Cyborg. He turned to Beast Boy.

"Dude."

"Dude"

Cyborg grasped the shorter titan's face in one massive hand,

"You better fix this, BB, for both you and Rae."

"But how dude? Did you not see the Ice Witch just go Blizzard Buster on us? Talk about FRIGID!"

"No, not us," Cyborg retorted "You."

"If I may interject boys, I may be able to help."

Sarah's voice brought Cyborg back to reality. He dashed over to her and held her hands in his ow.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, Sarah. I really am."

"Relax, besides, a woman's intuition can see what was really going on during that whole event."

Sarah's words puzzled the two boys. They twisted their faces in confusion, too lost to even ask what she meant.

"Let me explain boys. Beast Boy, this all comes down to you."

The little green guy nodded.

"I can tell you feel for her, but this little episode won't help her come around, man."

Beast boy jumped, "Sarah you don-"

"Hush up and listen, here's what you do..."

To be continued!

*So this is my first time posting a fanfic ya'll, so my writing/diction/style/fluidity is still developing. Sorry if my language takes sharp turns, I'm trying to even out my lofty romanticized style with the casual dialogue of the titans. All bout dat happy medium.

Next chapter coming soon

-ProfShaft


	3. Chapter 3

*Disclaimer: I do not own the teen titans*

Ch3

Red sunlight streamed through the blinds, landing on a huddle of green and purple sheets. Beast Boy sighed. No matter how many layers he piled onto him, the sun always seemed to penetrate through and pester him to rise. Any other day would be fine. Any other day Beast Boy would shuffle half asleep to breakfast and eat his cereal loudly and messily, but not today. After last night's events, what with Raven almost killing him, the green titan was not looking forward to facing a new day. Especially having to wake up so early, right at the crack of dawn. Sarah had laid everything out clearly for him before bed the night before. Yet he was still confused, terrified, and nervous.

"Alright BB, listen up. That girl is mad. Way mad. However, she isn't beyond saving. We all know you've got feelings for her. It's really obvious. It must be by some miracle, or maybe fate, but it seems Raven has not figured out about your little crush."

"It's not just some little crush!" Beast Boy almost shout, but kept his volume low in case Raven might be still be lurking about.

"I understand Beast Boy" Sarah's voice was instantly soothing. "Your feelings are your own, and no matter what we say, only you can fully understand them. Our goal now is damage control. My best idea is this: how can she hate you, if she is in love with you?"

"What?" The boys cried in unison.

"Now now, fellas. Let's just calm down and get to planning. Beast Boy, this all comes down on your shoulders. Here's what you need to do..."

A high-pitched beeping pulled Beast Boy back to reality. His alarm was set to 6:30, enough time to prepare himself and meet Raven as she would make her way to the roof for meditation. Beast Boy shot out of his room and to the bathroom. He made short work of brushing his teeth, furiously scrubbing while simultaneously squirting all manners of toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss in his mouth. Satisfied, he then turned to washing his face and combing his hair. In a surprisingly thorough twenty minutes, the green titan was a radiating display of good hygiene. Clad in his standard garb of purple and black, Beast Boy took no time to admire his appearance in the mirror. Raven was all he could think about today. She was all he could think about in the previous days, and probably many days in the future. He didn't need to think about when it started, or how for that matter. All he cared about was her, how she felt (although his efforts to get her attention proved his intent may be harmless, but actions may be otherwise.)

Beast Boy stood outside Raven's door. How would she react, was she ready to forgive him, or would she let loose on sight? Beast Boy knew what he did was inhuman, Raven made that clear, but after a restless night the weight of his transgressions had settled. Like a lump of iron in his gut, Beast Boy felt guilt sink in deeper. Beast Boy tightened a fist at his side. This was only the first step.

At that moment, Raven's door slid open. Her face showed no signs of surprise or intrigue, just a blank slate.

"What." Her voice lacked the unsettling frigidity of the night before. Like her expression, it was deadpan and emotionless.

"I... w-wanted to apologize for last night. I-It wasn't cool of me to do that... stuff."

Beast Boy stuttered and stumbled over his words. Apologizing had never been this hard before. What was wrong this time?

"I wanna m-make it up to you."

Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Today I'm yours-I mean-your guide!"

Beast Boy's slip up nearly knocked Raven on the ground. She was expecting an apology, not a confession. The embarrassment she sensed was made more obvious by the blush spreading on the green titan's cheeks. Raven put on her hood, she trusted her tried and true solemn face, but this time she needed to be careful.

"What do you mean guide? Why would I want to spend anymore time with you?"

She restrained herself from spitting out her words with venom. Truthfully, meditation had helped her overcome her anger and resolve the event as just a harmless prank. When she sensed Beast Boy's guilt and anxiety outside her door, she had already forgiven him internally. So, why not let him ease his conscience and let him struggle a bit?

"I figured a better way to get you out and about was to invite you, y'know? None of that loneliness and outcast stuff. I'll go anywhere you want, deal?"

Poorly worded maybe, but the green bean had a point. Ever since the Tokyo mission, Robin and Starfire were inseparable. The Boy Wonder still refused to announce anything was going on, but it was clear they were an item. Raven turned to the side.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into" she said, " you have to follow me anywhere I feel like going, no matter how far or how boring." She then began walking to the common room for breakfast.

Once she was several feet away Beast Boy whispered under his breath, "Rae, I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth."

Raven continued walking, thankful her hood was on as a warmth spread through her cheeks. She muttered to herself.

"Idiot."

Next Chapter on it's way!


	4. Chapter 4

*Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans*

Ch4

"So Rae, what's on tap for today?"

Beast Boy walked a few paces behind the purple titan. He didn't want to push his luck, but he felt really good about what the day had in store for them. Any time spent with Raven was enjoyable for him, maybe not entertaining but definitely enjoyable.

"My name is not Rae, it's Ra-ven." she stressed the second syllable firmly "and every day starts with breakfast, does it not?"

Beast Boy was not ready to face Cyborg and the rest of the team. No doubt the tin can had filled his friends in on the current happenings in Titans Tower, and Beast Boy didn't want the others prying in the two's business.

"Let's go out for breakfast Raven, it's been awhile since we got out of the tower. I'll pay!"

Raven stopped and spun on her heel. Beast Boy stopped in his tracks, nearly running into her, face to face with the hooded teen.

"I was under the impression that this was my day." She cocked an eyebrow. Beast Boy shivered. "However, that is a good idea. Congratulations Beast Boy, there's a first for everything."

Beast Boy flashed a smile and laughed off her sarcasm. Raven's humor may be harsh, but he found it charming. She didn't ridicule anyone like she did him, so it must mean something. Heck, maybe that was a front for deeper emotions, hopefully not bad feelings but something more personal.

"Y'know, you're a lot prettier with that hood on." Beast Boy said with a wink.

"Don't get overconfident, you're still in the doghouse. Besides, the hood is useful..." for hiding this blushing face from your prying eyes. Azar what's wrong with me. Raven turned away and continued walking as she mused to herself.

The duo made their way to the roof of Titan's Tower, completely bypassing the common room. Beast Boy transformed into a bird and followed Raven as she flew into the city. They soared high over the bustling metropolis. People stopped in their tracks and stood awestruck as the two flew past, high above their heads. It wasn't uncommon to see the Teen Titans split to take on separate challenges, so the question on the civilians' minds was "Where's the trouble at?"

Ever since returning to Tokyo to police the streets once again, the Titans had noticed a major drop in crime. Thanks to the formation of the Titans Towers placed strategically all over the continents, disasters and attacks were now dealt with quickly and efficiently by individual teams. Cyborg's new training program, centered in the original Titan's hometown, supplied an ever-growing arsenal of trained heroes to band together and help protect cities all over the world. As a result, the Robin and his team now only needed to focus on issues in their immediate vicinity and flying out to oversee new titan's projects.

Beast Boy and Raven landed in a small square in the older subsection of the city. A fountain bubbled in a small park surrounded by shops facing inwards. There were no cars driving through, only bicycles and the occasional trolley circling the exterior square.

"I thought this place was for tourists. Why are we here?" Beast Boy chuckled to himself.

"There's more to this place than tacky knick-knacks and bird feeding." Raven replied casually.

After a quiet coffee shop breakfast, the two spent their morning perusing antiquities and near-ancient texts in the surrounding oddity shops. Not once did Beast Boy mock Raven's taste or complain about being bored, in fact he seemed to be enjoying himself! This new side of her teammate bothered Raven in a way she was unfamiliar with. She was slightly annoyed, yet glad he was with her. Beast Boy held up a flamboyant ritual mask and imitated it's extravagant expression with an equally goofy face of his own. Raven chuckled, and turned around so fast she nearly knocked over a shelf.

"This needs some serious meditation when I get back. Something is not right here." Raven thought to herself as a blush once again spread on her face.

At that moment their Titans communicators began beeping. They exchanged serious glances and answered the call. Robin's materialized on the screen, "Beast Boy, Raven, we have an emergency downtown. Starfire and I are on our way; Cyborg is leaving the training facility"

"Got it, we'll be there soon." Raven nodded as Beast Boy responded to their leader.

The two immediately sprang into action, dropping everything and taking to the skies. The purple empath redirected herself to where the trouble seemed to originate, a column of acrid black smoke rising from a city street near the coast. Fun games would have to wait, trouble was brewing and the Titans were on the move.

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

*Disclaimer: I do not own the teen titans. I don't have that kind of cash.*

Ch 5

Robin sped toward the city on his custom motorcycle. As he approached the scene of dismay, the air grew dark and hazy. Civilians fled away from the growing column of smoke originating from a twelve-story building. Fire blazed out of every window, smoke poured from between bricks as mortar sprayed in random directions from the building pressure. Starfire immediately flew over the roof and showered it with starbolts. Her efforts proved fruitful as the fire and smoke began to rise from the top of the building, rather than igniting neighboring structures from the sides. This, however, proved to only fuel the flame with more oxygen. The fire burned hotter and brighter than ever.

"Robin, Starfire, we're here!" Beast Boy called out the second he hit the ground in human form. Raven followed close behind.

"Alright, Raven you work on getting the civilians out of here" Robin shouted over the roar of flames "Beast Boy, keep that building from collapsing into any other structures, if it goes down we need it to collapse in on itself."

Raven began escort large crowds to safety as Beast Boy circled the inferno in dinosaur form. Something wasn't right, and Robin could feel it deep in his gut. The building currently engulfed in flames was the Jump City University Laboratories. Usually labs like these had top-of-the-line safety features. Roben then noticed what he had been the missing, the air was filled with a horrible stench. The pitch-black smoke, the acrid scent, he immediately knew what had started that fire. At that moment Beast Boy charged in to level a load-bearing wall.

"Beast Boy Wait!" Robin called out to his teammate in vain.

Seconds later the green T-rex was flung out of the building and onto it's back. Emerging from the thick haze came a large creature, towering above the titans and cloaked in fire.

"What is it?" Raven returned from evacuating the last citizens in danger.

"Whatever it is, it smells like burning tires and puke!." Beast Boy yelled in disgust.

"What joy! Is that the festival of Glarfka's delicious roasted norlbok is smell?"

"No Star, that monstrosity is our arson and the cause of this pollution." Robin glared at the new threat, knowing all too well the stakes were even higher. If the burning Plasmus were to be defeated in the usual manner (explosion and dismemberment) the blazing remnant would cause countless injury and destruction.

"Listen up Titans. We need to take down Plasmus in one piece! Raven and Beast Boy, hold him still. Starfire, break down that building. Cyborg, let's ice it before we lose this chance."

Robin turned as Cyborg came leaping down to join the team. In formation they were ready to finish their foe quickly and safely. Robin, with renewed confidence, called his team to action.

"Titans Go!"

Starfire flew pirouettes around the towering monster, focusing all her efforts on the building collapsing behind it. Rocks and debris enclosed in dark energy threatened to snare Plasmus in a steel and stone coffin, but his massive strength and liquid mobility proved too powerful for Raven's attempts. Beast Boy tried to gain a handle on his foe, but it's flaming body proved too hot to handle. Off to the side, Robin and Cyborg combined their freeze bombs with a sonic cannon, intending to use the combined tech as a freeze ray. They only had one shot powerful enough to trap Plasmus completely, and partial restraint was not an option. They wouldn't be able to fire until the target was immobilized.

"I can't my sights straight. BB, Rae, I need a still target." Cyborg called out in vain.

"No." Robin saw where the fight was heading. The movement around Plasmus had begun to wear him down, it showed signs of tearing with each lunge. If he were to split at that moment, civilians would be at risk from blazing miniature monster and their toxic bile. "You need to act NOW!"

Beast boy knew what had to be done. "Rae, get his attention."

The empath lifted an enormous chunk of concrete and prepared to launch it at Plasmus. As the creature moved to dodge, a green rhinoceros charged straight into the burning forms side, sinking far as the animal's shoulders in the toxic sludge."

"BOOYAH!" Cyborg shot off a blue beam of nonthermal particles, transforming the burning mass into a diamond hard statue of ice. Beast Boy reverted to human form and collapsed unconscious. The city was safe and Plasmus defeated.

"Beast Boy!" Cyborg ran to his friend, still out cold on the pavement.

"Somebody get him to the med bay stat." Cyborg turned to Raven. Her expression was utter disbelief. "This ain't anything we haven't dealt with before. Robin'll take care of Plasmus, so you and Star get the green bean back to the tower."

Raven nodded and formed a teleportation portal around the three of them. Starfire flew into the sky at a phenomenal speed.

"Stupid move BB, but that took some guts." Robin muttered to himself as sirens approached in the distance.

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Ch 6

Beast Boy awoke to the sound of a metronomic beeping. The room was dark, illuminated only by the console to his left portraying a myriad of flashing dots and lines. He smelled the powerful scent of disinfectant and knew immediately where he was.

"Man I hate the doctor." Beast Boy's voice came out in a hoarse croak. "How long have I been out?"

"About a day and a half." Cyborg's voice came quietly from across the room.

Beast Boy shifted on the stiff mattress, the Titans Tower med bay was small, having only to accompany five people at a time at the worst. Cyborg sat on the far side of the room, near the door. He stood and approached the green titan's bed.

"Severe burns, head and neck trauma, and near-instantaneous freezing, and not a scratch after thirty six hours. That animal blood really works wonders for ya, BB." Cyborg's voice was still hushed.

"What can I say I'm a-grachcuh heuughh!" Beast Boy's scratchy reply was interrupted by a fit of hacking and heaving.

"Did mention you had a mouthful of freeze-dried Plasmus on the way out?" Cyborg grinned deviously.

Beast Boy grimaced, thankfully he was unconscious instead of having to taste the toxic baddie, but a residual feeling remained in the back of his throat. That would have to go fast. Beast Boy glanced at his bedside table. Their lied an assorted mixture of unrecognizable alien fruits, no doubt Starfire's own homemade "remedy." Next to it was his T-Communicator, disassembled with a Purple rag lying beside it. Robin must have taken it upon himself to repair the sludged piece of tech after the battle. Beast Boy turned to look at his best friend.

"Yo Cy, did anybody come in her while I was out?" Beast Boy looked down at his sheets and fumbled with the hem.

"Starfire wouldn't stop bringing her alien goop, mush, tentacles, and bugs until I told her all you need was rest. She and Robin have been taking care of any emergencies while the rest of us are occupied with your broken butt. The bidboy himself has taken over Titans Training for the time being, poor kids."

"And Raven?" Beast Boy's question caught Cyborg off guard due to the strangeness of his tone: hushed, concerned, and with a hint of longing.

Cyborg smirked, "Cool it loverboy, she watched you during the day while I got some rest. Allnighters in front of a med screen is very very tiring. Rae was very adamant about keeping watch over you, she finished her shift about an hour ago."

"I need to go see her" Beast Boy made to get up, but stopped halfway, groaning and clutching his neck.

Cyborg pressed a few buttons on the console. "You may have healed on the outside, but your neck and back are still pretty weak. I'm afraid you need to spend another night here. Raven can wait, but right now you need some food and more rest." Cyborg removed the IV and monitor attached to the green titan's arm. "Tomorrow i'll have some medicine to help with the pain and I'm sure Raven'll show up with some TLC, huh loverboy?"

Beast Boy groaned and fell back against the pillow, an ill-thought-out move. A throbbing pain shout out from his shoulders and tightened his neck.

"Perfect" he coughed.

After a dinner of soup and a few glasses Beast Boy finally dozed off. That night his dreams haunted him. He saw shifting amorphous masses of dark purple, flames ignited all around him and transformed to smoky darkness. He was jerked backward, and then flung forward. His head crashed into a wall of smoke and fire as his body burned and froze simultaneously. The pain faded slowly as he plunged father into darkness and soon he was floating in what seemed to be mid air. He wondered if that all light had vanished from the world, or if his eyes were merely closed. Far off he could smell fresh air and hear the sounds of the forest. The senses were faint as a whisper, and so thin that it could be torn away by a a sigh. As he floated, a frail aura washed across him, seeming to envelop him in silken threads and suspend him in the dream. He easily slipped into a deep slumber.

In the Titans med bay, Cyborg snored loudly. Beast Boy lay in his bed beside the blinking console. His sheets were thrown off his body and his face was slowly relaxing from a grimace. Raven stood above him, stone faced, her eyes glowing as she lightly touched his forehead. As the green titan relaxed, Raven slipped out of his mind and sighed. She pulled the sheets over his sleeping form, tucking him in for the night. She yawned. Her hand reached out and stroked his green locks. She jolted and retracted her hand quickly as she realized what she had done. The room was silent as she stared at him... no movement, he didn't wake up. She turned and left the room eager to rest her weary mind. Tomorrow Raven would be fully awake and have control over her emotions, that night she had let too much slip.

*So this story is getting pretty interesting, no? Well, in order to improve quality (and my sleep schedule) I'll being spacing out new chapter releases. Now this will vary from two to three days, but if I am ready to post a day after the previous chapter, I wont withhold anything from ya'll. Thank you all who are following this story. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to leave them as a comment or PM me. Happy reading everybody!

-ProfShaft


End file.
